DP World expands China–Africa shipping network

DP World is expanding its maritime network between China and Africa with a weekly container service connecting three Chinese export gateways with Tanzania and Mozambique. The China Africa Link will begin operating in late November 2026, providing additional shipping capacity between major manufacturing centres and ports serving East and Southern African markets.

The service will operate through DP World’s Shipping Solutions AMEA business, following a rotation covering Shanghai, Ningbo, Nansha, Port Klang Westport, Dar es Salaam, Maputo, and Singapore before returning to Shanghai. Its seven-port itinerary combines direct calls in China and Africa with connections through two established Southeast Asian container hubs.

Shanghai, Ningbo, and Nansha provide access to major Chinese manufacturing regions, while Dar es Salaam and Maputo serve different industrial and distribution markets on Africa’s eastern coastline. Freight moving through the service is expected to include machinery, electronics, construction materials, and automotive components from China, alongside agricultural commodities, minerals, and other African exports.

The weekly rotation creates an additional option for arranging container movements between these markets. Cargo originating beyond the ports directly served will still require inland transport or a connecting maritime service, with the complete journey determined by vessel schedules, container availability, and the handling arrangements at each interchange.

The inclusion of Port Klang Westport and Singapore enables the service to connect with established shipping networks in Southeast Asia. Both locations handle international container transfers, allowing freight to move between services where appropriate connections are available. The published rotation establishes the sequence of calls but does not by itself determine the total transit time available to every origin and destination.

At the African end of the route, Dar es Salaam provides access to Tanzania and inland markets across East and Central Africa. The port handles international cargo serving manufacturers, construction projects, agricultural businesses, and distributors whose supply chains extend beyond the coastal terminal. Container movements towards inland destinations require coordination between port operations, customs clearance, and road or rail transport.

DP World operates Terminal 1 at Dar es Salaam under a 30-year concession awarded in 2024. The company has committed more than $500 million to modernising the port’s infrastructure and information technology, providing a longer-term investment programme alongside the additional shipping connections being introduced.

The maritime service and terminal investment address different parts of the same cargo movement. Vessel capacity determines the frequency and quantity of goods that can reach the port, while berth availability, container handling equipment, storage capacity, and gate operations influence the subsequent movement of freight through the terminal. Inland transport arrangements then connect containers with industrial and commercial destinations.

Maputo provides the southern African call within the new rotation. DP World is undertaking a $165 million expansion of its container terminal there, with the project designed to increase annual handling capacity from 255,000 to 530,000 twenty-foot equivalent units. The development includes an enlarged container yard and an extension of the quay from 308 metres to 650 metres.

Planned berth improvements will provide a depth of 16 metres across the upgraded section, allowing larger container vessels to use the terminal. Three new ship-to-shore cranes and additional rubber-tyred gantry cranes are also included in the investment programme, adding equipment for transferring containers between vessels and storage areas.

The yard expansion and additional cranes address different handling requirements. Ship-to-shore equipment determines how containers can be lifted between a vessel and the quay, while yard equipment moves and stacks containers before collection or loading. Increasing berth capability without sufficient supporting yard capacity can transfer congestion from one part of the operation to another, making coordinated infrastructure development necessary.

DP World is also expanding Maputo’s refrigerated container infrastructure from 450 to 715 electrical connections. These connections supply power to refrigerated units during their stay at the terminal, supporting shipments of agricultural and other temperature-sensitive products. Their use depends on the cargo’s temperature requirements, container equipment, and the duration of its stay before onward transport.

Further changes at Maputo include automated gate identification using optical character recognition, an enhanced terminal operating system, vehicle booking arrangements, and digitised information exchange with shipping lines, customs authorities, and other organisations. These systems are intended to improve the coordination of containers and vehicles moving through the port.

Gate identification technology can capture container and vehicle information as traffic enters or leaves a terminal, while booking systems help organise the arrival of collection and delivery vehicles. The terminal operating system maintains records of container positions and handling requirements, connecting the physical movement of freight with the information needed for vessel loading and landside collection.

Maputo’s role as a gateway for Southern African cargo includes connections with markets beyond Mozambique. Containers can move between the port and inland industrial or distribution locations, with the suitability of each route depending on available transport infrastructure and the requirements of the

shipment. The larger terminal and new shipping service provide additional capacity at separate stages of that movement.

DP World describes the China Africa Link as part of its Connected Trade Corridors programme, which brings maritime services together with port operations and inland logistics. The company is extending connections between assets it operates while adding direct shipping calls that customers can incorporate into their existing supply arrangements.

Ganesh Raj, global chief operating officer for Marine Services at DP World, identified reliable connections, routing choice, and flexibility as priorities for customers navigating changing trade patterns. The new service will operate within the company’s wider African terminal and maritime network rather than requiring an independent system of ports or distribution facilities.

The first sailings are scheduled for late November. The weekly frequency and port sequence are confirmed, with individual sailing dates, connection availability, and commercial bookings determining how customers incorporate the service into shipments between China, East Africa, and Southern Africa.